September 14th
by MsGodric
Summary: 'So, on her sixth birthday, instead of running around like a headless chicken, Tracy was sitting under the tree, a glittery heart tattooed on her face (due to her Mother's encouragement), reading a book called 'The Wonders of Life'.' Seven stories of Tracy McConnell's birthday, starting in 1990 and ending in 2026. Enjoy!


A/N: This was just something quick I thought up inbetween updates of _'Our Yellow Umbrella,' _which, by the way, should be updated this weekend! Thanks, hope you enjoy :)

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_September 14th 1990_

On her sixth birthday, Tracy McConnell had the birthday party that most six year old girls dreamed off. There were fairy princesses, unicorns, face paint and a whole lot of glitter. And did she love it?

No, she didn't.

At six years old, she wasn't like the other girls. She wasn't running around wearing fairy wings strapped to her back, nor was she having fake butterfly tattoos printed on her body. No, she was reading books, reading fairytale to herself when she woke up in the middle of the night. She was singing hymns, teaching herself how to sing and working out what sounded right.

So, on her sixth birthday, instead of running around like a headless chicken, Tracy was sitting under the tree, a glittery heart tattooed on her face (due to her Mother's encouragment), reading a book called _'The Wonders of Life'. _It was a book that was meant for nine and ten year olds, the grammar and vocabulary slightly hard for young children to understand, but Tracy understood it perfectly.

And she sat under that tree reading, casually humming a tune, until she was dragged up by her older sister, Louise, when her birthday cake was coming. No, she wasn't like most six year olds.

_September 14th 1996_

"Here, open it then!"

Tracy stared down at the small package in front of her. It was her twelth birthday, and she was not in the mood; the day before, she had started her period, which had been a very dramatic time for her and her family. Her sister had given her lectures on how it was all a part of growing up, and her Mother had explained how every girl went through it and that pain was entirely normal.

But the worse thing was that it had to happen the day before her birthday.

After a few diggs from her sister, Tracy ripped open the scarlet paper, and found a small box inside, about the size of her hand. She lifted it up, and opened it.

A single key lay inside.

Frowning, she looked up.

If she was a little bit older, she would have assumed it was the key to a car. But she was only 12, so it couldn't be a car, could it? No, Louise would have gone mad.

"Go into the kitchen honey," her Mother told her, adn Tracy got up, and wandered confused into the room.

A large gutair case lay against the kitchen counter, and Tracy gasped in shock. A few months ago, she had begged for a gutair, just a normal acoustic one, nothing fancy, and here, before was a case.

Stepping forward, she noticed a small lock on the side of it, and immediatly knew what it was for. She unlocked the case, and pulled from it a smart, newly polished red acoustic gutair.

Her musical journey was just beginning.

_September 14th 2002_

She was 18. She couldn't believe it. She was 18 years old.

She wandered into a small diner, looking around for her friends Kelly and Amanda; they were supposed to be meeting there for a small meal and celebrate her birthday.

Eventually, she saw them in a booth towards the back of the diner, chatting away happily.

"Hey guys!" She said happily, sliding into the seat beside Amanda and opposite Kelly. "How are you?"

"How are we? How are you, birthday girl!" Kelly exclaimed, giving her a grin. "We were worried you weren't coming!"

"Sorry, I got caught up with Mom, she just doesn't stop talking, I'm telling you," Tracy muttered, rolling her eyes.

"Oh, that's fine," Amanda said. "But, here's your present!"

They handed her a wrapped blue and white package, and Tracy took it, saying thanks. She unwrapped it carefully, finding inside a small box; inside was a charm bracelet, with a single gutair charm hanging from it.

"Aww guys, I love it, thanks!" She exclaimed. "It's beautiful!"

After sliding it onto her wrist and exchanging small conversation, Tracy got up and went to the bathroom. On her way back, she slipped on some spilt water, and shut her eyes, bracing herself for the fall.

However no fall came, and instead she felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her middle.

Opening her eyes catiously, Tracy found herself staring into the bluest eyes she had ever seen. They were like little drops of ocean, and she had to stop herself from drooling.

"T-thanks," she choked out, as she regained her balance.

"No problem," the boy said, giving her a goofy grin. "I'm Max."

He extended his hand, and she glady took it.

"Tracy."

_September 14th 2008_

It was her birthday again.

She sat on the sofa, in a pair of old sweat-pants and a large sweater, watching re-runs of _'Friends' _and eating Ben and Jerry's icecream.

Kelly was in the kitchen, washing up their plates from their meal of pizza.

Her birthday was meant to be a happy time, and it use to be. A time of cake and music and laughter and funny presents.

But as she sat there, a box of tissues beside her, she felt far from happy.

It was three years since he had died.

And it wasn't getting any easier.

_September 14th 2014_

"Morning beautiful," a soft voice whispered into her ear. She shifted slightly in her sleep, as she felt a gentle kiss land on her cheek. She smiled slightly, before slowly opening her eyes, and staring up at the man before her.

"Happy thirtieth birthday," Ted whispered, pecking her lips.

Before he could pull away, she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him on top of her.

"I would love to spend this morning like this," he murmured against her lips. "But I have a special breakfast that is going to be burnt if you don't let me go and check on it."

"Urghh, why do I have to be so old," she groaned, pushing herself up.

"You're not old," Ted said, rolling his eyes as he wandered out of her bedroom.

"I'm thirty!" She called after him, sliding on her slippers.

"And I'm 36!" He replied, as she entered the kitchen.

A pile of pancakes were in the middle of the table, along with bacon, eggs, hashbrowns and beans.

"Y'know, sometimes I forget that I'm dating an old man," she said, as she dropped into a seat.

Ted raised an eyebrow. "Just because it's your birthday, doesn't mean you get to make fun of me! And I'm not that old!"

"Well, you're older than me, and I'm 30," she told him, helping herself to some of the bacon. "So yes honey, you are _old."_

He rolled his eyes, and dropped a kiss on the corner of her mouth.

_September 14th 2020_

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MOMMY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOUUUU!"

Penny giggled with glee as she finished her song, looking at Tracy happily.

"That was beautiful Penny," Tracy whispered, leaning in and kissing her daughter's cheek. "Truly beautiful."

"She takes after her Mother," came Ted's voice, as he entered their living room, carrying three year old Luke on his shoulders.

"Happy Birthday Mommy!" Luke shouted out, poking his tongue out at her.

"Why thank you, Lukey-Pukey," Tracy said, poking her tongue out back.

"Mommy poke, Mommy poke!" Luke said, pointing at Tracy's tongue.

"Yes Mommy poke, but Mommy allowed to poke when Luke poke," Ted told him, lifting the young boy off his shoulders.

"Poke-poke!" Luke yelled, racing over to Tracy. "Poke-poke!"

"Yes Luke, Poke-poke!"

_September 14th 2026_

On her fourty-second birthday, she gets flowers. A lot of flowers. Ted gets her lilacs, Luke gets her roses and Penny gets her daisies.

She gets cards too.

And a little Teddy bear holding a red and white checkered heart.

She gets a song.

Penny sings _'La Vi En Rose' _to her, the song she would always sing to her children when they were sleeping.

Luke also gives her a poem, one he wrote all by himself.

The last line reads, _'I love you Mom, from afar.'_

But on her fourty-second birthday, she's not there.

She's not alive. They don't give the presents to her, they leave them by her grave. The cards get soaked through by the rain, and the flowers droop. And everyone misses her, and everyone cries for her, and Ted has a breakdown, and she's not there to comfort him, and everything is wrong.

She's not there.

Yet Penny still sings for her.

And Luke still writes for her.

And Ted, Ted still cries for her.

They wish she was there, but she's not. And life is hard, and the day goes by slowly.

Penny sings _'La Vi En Rose' _one last time, and Luke reads his poem again.

A clap of thunder is heard.

They miss her on her fourty-second birthday.

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A/n: I hate the Mother dying in the finale, but I wanted to try and do her justice. I don't know what I am going to do with my story, _'The Yellow Umbrella' _but I wanted to try this and see how it went.. thanks!


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